【Public Speaking】Youth Public Speaking Competition – YPSC

Youth Public Speaking Competition – YPSC

Listen. Speak. Succeed. Empowering young voices worldwide

• Over 1,000,000 youth participants across 54 countries worldwide
• Recognized by leading institutions for developing public speaking excellence
• Up to 50% of participants receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze Awards
• Certificates officially issued by the English-Speaking Union (UK)
• Cultivate confidence, critical thinking, and cross-cultural communication

Introduction

The Youth Public Speaking Competition (YPSC) is an international English-speaking challenge for students aged 6–16, jointly organized by the English-Speaking Union (ESU) and ASEEDER.

Founded in 1918 and headquartered at Dartmouth House in London, the English-Speaking Union (ESU) is one of the United Kingdom’s oldest educational charities. It is governed by a Royal Charter and has been patronized by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II since 1957. Throughout its century-long history, Sir Winston Churchill, The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Princess Royal have served as ESU Presidents.

With branches in 54 countries and over 1 million young participants, the ESU is known globally for hosting the world’s most influential public speaking events — including the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC), often referred to as the “Olympics of English Public Speaking.”

Building on this legacy, the YPSC represents the first ESU competition tailored for young learners under 16, aiming to nurture confident communicators and global citizens who can express themselves clearly, listen empathetically, and lead with understanding.

About the Competition

The Youth Public Speaking Competition 2025 invites students worldwide to showcase their creativity, reasoning, and confidence in English oratory. It provides a structured learning journey from the Preliminary Round to the Asia Round, and finally the Global Finals.

Categories of the Preliminary Round:

• Primary School – Beginner (Grades 1–2): 1-minute speech
• Primary School – Intermediate (Grades 3–4): 2-minute speech
• Primary School – Advanced (Grades 5–6): 3-minute speech
• Secondary School (Grades 7–10): 4-minute speech

The competition helps students build four fundamental oracy skills — reasoning & evidence, organization & prioritization, expression & delivery, and listening & response — empowering them to become articulate, empathetic, and impactful speakers.

Competition Structure

	Preliminary Round (Online Submission)	Asia Round (Macau, China)	Global Finals (Cambridge, UK)
Eligibility	Students aged 6–16 (Grades 1–10)	Winners of Gold, Silver, and Bronze from the Preliminary Round	Finalists with Gold, Silver, or Bronze from the Asia Round
Date	November 11, 2025 (by 17:00, VN Time)	Late January / Early February 2026	July/August 2026
Location	Online	Macao Polytechnic University	Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge — one of the university’s oldest and most distinguished colleges, home to 15 Nobel laureates.
Format	Online video submission	On-site speeches, public speaking masterclasses, and oracy skill workshops.	5-Day Public Speaking Bootcamp British Student Friendship Tournament Cambridge High Table Dinner London City Cultural Tour
Awards	Gold Award – Top 15% Silver Award – Top 15.01–25% Bronze Award – Top 25.01–50% All participants receive official ESU certificates of participation, and schools with more than 20 participants will receive a digital award plaque.	Guidance from certified ESU coaches and judges Academic training on voice, structure, persuasion, and presentation	The Global Finals offer participants a once-in-a-lifetime experience to learn from expert mentors, speak on a historic stage, and build cross-cultural friendships that last a lifetime.

Evaluation Framwork

YPSC’s judging system evaluates students holistically across four key competencies:

Skill Area	Description
Expression & Delivery	Speak confidently, engage the audience, and use voice and body language effectively.
Reasoning & Evidence	Use logical arguments and factual support to strengthen viewpoints.
Organization & Prioritization	Present ideas clearly and coherently, prioritizing the most persuasive points.
Listening & Response	Demonstrate active listening, respond thoughtfully to others’ ideas (assessed in higher rounds).

This comprehensive approach ensures students not only become confident speakers but also empathetic listeners and thoughtful thinkers.

Registration

• Registration Deadline: October 28, 2025
• Video Submission Deadline: 17:00 (VN Time), November 11, 2025
• Format: Online Submission

The school sends the list of participating candidates to email enquiry@sooncheng.com – Subject: YPSC 2025.

Upon receiving confirmation from the organizing committee, the school sends a copy of the payment receipt for the exam fee to the bank as instructed.

For independent candidates, please contact SOON CHENG for registration guidance.

• WeChat: SeederStar_SC
• WhatsApp: +65 9695 5152 / +84 362 996 088
• Zalo: +65 9695 5152
• Website: https://sooncheng.com
• Email: enquiry@sooncheng.com